You already know a peaceful home is a happy home. While that likely means choosing your furniture, lighting and home fabrics based on their comfort quotient, there's one thing that's easy to overlook — soundproofing.

Nothing zaps your zen quite as quickly as the sound of noisy neighbours above you, or honking cars outside. But we know what you're thinking: soundproofing equipment is pretty ugly — remember those foam pads that covered the walls of your music room at school? There are, however, plenty of home decor choices you can make to help absorb excess noise, and they don't necessarily mean skimping on style.

Here's proof.

Footsteps echo extra loud on uncovered floors, so consider carpeting your floors to stop foot traffic from becoming a nuisance, 6sqft.com suggests. If you're not ready to fully commit to carpet though, a few well-placed rugs will also do the trick.

In terms of sound blocking, the doors in your home probably aren't cutting it. That's because most interior doors are hollow, according to a spokesperson for the National Wood Window & Door Association: "Any one of the particleboard-core, composite-core, or solid-wood doors would work much better at providing a sound barrier than a hollow-core door."

To ensure noise isn't slipping through the cracks in your windows, Zillow suggests weather stripping each window in your home by filling in any cracks or gaps with an acoustical caulk sealant. Replacing your existing windows with triple pane glass will also do wonders to block out sounds.

Yes, sound-absorbing paint does exist, and the specially formulated wall coating can reduce noise by up to 30 percent, according to SFGate. Companies like Serenity Coating specifically create these paints to reflect and absorb excess sounds.

Squeaky floors can be incredibly annoying. You can, of course, completely replace loose boards problematic floor, just make sure you completely remove the old flooring first. If that's out of the question, tightening your existing floor should help as well, according to Zillow.

Bibliophiles, you're in luck. Bookcases and the books you fill them with actually help to create a barrier against unwanted noise, according to 6sqft.com. Just make sure there aren't a ton of empty spaces on the shelves.

You already know curtains are pros at keeping the sun out of your rooms, but they're also great at keeping noise from entering your home, especially if they're made from tightly-woven fabric such as embroidered brocade, velvet or wool. To really maximise the sound reduction, make sure they cover the wall above and below your window too.

This one seems like a no-brainer, but it's often overlooked: Add insulation to your ceilings and walls. According to Zillow, insulation is one of the most effective ways to keep unwanted noise out. After all, no one wants thin walls, right?